Cane Toads

[mattmc]

Is there nothing this site with any influence it may have can do to put together some kind of crusade against the Cane Toad - I.e. petition the your local MP's both state and council...en masse to do something or to help fund projects to stop the bastards (sorry no other word to express my feelings for this cause) from continueing to push. I know for one this week I've decided to send letters to both local offices...

personally im surprised at the lack of support for such a pressing issue - more pressing than 'climate (bleh) change'

bob brown...you gutless prime minister you. do something old man. your meant to be all over it like flies to a dead sheep.

 

[fugawi]

There is no cash or vote incentives for politicians to bother with it, unlike the dollar signs that light up by forcing a carbon tax on us.

 

[saratoga]

If only cattle ate Cane Toads and were poisoned by them the problem would have been solved years ago.

Unfortunately as Fugawi says ... no economic incentive ... no votes.

 

[grimbeny]

No one has a good method for doing anything about them. All methods used to date have been a waste of time.

In addition the ecological impacts of cane toads is likely to be insignificant compared to other things that are occurring around the world. Climate change will likely send many species extinct and it will displace large populations of people resulting in further land clearing.

Habitat loss is the biggest cause of species decline world wide.

 

[slim6y]

Exactly grim... The actual impact is insignificant compared to human induced habbitat decline etc etc.

There was a good catalyst on Quoll School... I'll see if I can find the link:

http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/tv/catalyst/catalyst_10_11_17.mp4 (direct download from the Catalyst site).

And it is even possible (from reading a Queensland Museum text) that giant huntsmans may actually attack toads. Though, other than this text I've never actually read it elsewhere or seen it occur.

Even though they're a pest, they're here to stay - so we (like the Catalyst show shows) need to deal with it in the best way we can.

 

[gus11]

No one has a good method for doing anything about them. All methods used to date have been a waste of time.

This isn't entirely true, millions was spent on trying to come up with methods for eradicating toads, and I believe many potential methods were thought up and potentially viable, unfortunately most involved chemicals and methods that could not be realistically used as the effects on native amphibians were unknown. The end result is somewhat the same, nothing can be done about them, but lots of effort was put into trying to stop the toads. Was all a bit late though.

 

[fugawi]

Unfortunately it is not as simple as some may seem to eradicate them. They are poisonous throughout all their life cycles, egg, taddy and adult so they are not vulnerable to native predation.....ever. They can eat anything that fits in their mouth. They have 40 000 or so eggs and almost all make it through to adulthood. They can travel large distances in numbers. It's like the only obstacles are cold and extreme dry. The main question is how do you kill them in numbers, over a huge area, without harming local frogs or other native species and without making the problem worse?

If you can answer this question........ring Trixie for a good time on........Sorry, mind went off track.

 

[$NaKe PiMp]

as grim said research has shown there is more significant causes of extinctions than cane toads,and no matter what we do there here to stay.

A lecture i went to by Rick Shine explained 1 natural biological control as succesful,there is a chemical released by toad tadpoles when they are frightened or killed that repels all other tadpoles in the area ,and also affects there breeding cycle.To be effective it would have to be manufactured and released in every body of water in toad affected areas which would be a huge task

 

[MR_IAN_DAVO]

Don't start me again! check out the thread on king Browns threatened by cane toads.

We should at least try to deminish the numbers & thier spread.
But like others are saying, this does not provide Gov't with cash or votes.

 

[mattmc]

send the refugees into toad infested areas, get the job done they can stay, fail, they go.
besides...as far as im aware they got rid of them at port macquarie through musters

i personally think its an international conspiracy...the chinese will invade australia and any edible wildlife will be gone for anyone wanting to live bush.

is it not safe to assume that wildlife will adapt to natural changing conditions as wildlife has done for millions of years...cane toad being a prime example with its introduction to australia facing new challenges...they have evolved to suit the conditions better

maybe some species will go as there time is up...others will adapt

the lack of replies on such a pressing issue on a REPTILE/AMPHIBIAN/NATIVE ANIMAL/PEOPLE WHO SHOULD GIVE A DAMN! website just goes to prove that people just dont give two hoots.

and the lack of an optimistic thought process in the few replies that are here goes to show that humans just give up to easily on something that seems to not involve humanity in present time.

 

[grimbeny]

Ian how can we do that?

 

[MR_IAN_DAVO]

Ian how can we do that?

Well I am no well educated scientist or anything, so i really don't know the awnser.

BUT there should be something done asap to try. A couple of suggestion have been made on other threads with some critisism.
Maybe a bounty is a way to start. BUT REALISTICALLY there needs to be a lot of money put into an instistute with the ability to come up with an awnser, such as was done with Prickly Pear & Rabbits.
If we don't do something the whole of Australia will eventually be overrun by them except the snowy mountains & the harsh dry sandy & gibber deserts. They adapt very well & can eat anything & survive for long periods burrowed in until conditions suite them. I believe that they could become Australias biggest enviromental disaster. Untill they start turning up in Sydney backyards or on Parliment House steps they don't care. After recent large floods I wonder where they will turn up next.

I for one would put my name to any petition towards the eradication of cane toads, to the Gov't.
I would also subscribe to a fight the toad fund if it was necessary, but I believe as an enviromental disaster should be funded by the Gov't, which comes back to us tax payers anyway.

Cheers
Ian.

 

[longqi]

About 40 years ago common old house Flies were causing disease problems in China
They eradicated them one at a time without chemicals
Every child and adult was told to kill at least one each day
Even now there are very few flies in China compared to anywhere else

 

[fugawi]

Ian......I think the lack of replies is more to do with a "Never heard of it" website rather than a lack of people that care. I think if the cane toads infested Sydney or Melbourne and caused havoc to these major populations, something more would be done. If president Obama had to step over them to visit Parliament House in Canberra, they may put more resources into it.

 

[Wally]

Perhaps China could lend us Fifty million people to help get the job done. Not sure sweet and sour toad will suit the Australian palate though.

 

[junglelover01]

i live in townsville, pretty much smack bang in the middle of the cane toad heart land and every year we have a day where everyone in the town is urged to collect as many toads as they can....it has quite a big following and gets good results. something like this done statewide would have a huge impact on their numbers, but unforunately you can't get them all in this manner and you only need two of them for the problem to continue. As frustrating, dangerous and destructive as they are it's not their fault some idiot brought them here to do a job they weren't capable of doing. They've been here with us so long now i think we just take them as a part of life in queensland.

 

[Darlyn]

bob brown...you gutless prime minister you. do something old man. your meant to be all over it like flies to a dead sheep.

??

 

[grimbeny]

The problem is, toad numbers are limited by ecological factors not breeding rates. Every female toad can have up to 40000 offspring. But almost all of these die because the environment can't support them. Unless a toad muster can kill every single toad in a region, all you are doing is making room for more toads.

I actually have an optimistic view about the whole issue. Toads have done damage, there is no denying than but in regions where they have been a long time the native species have begun to adapt.

 

[MR_IAN_DAVO]

The problem is, toad numbers are limited by ecological factors not breeding rates. Every female toad can have up to 40000 offspring. But almost all of these die because the environment can't support them. Unless a toad muster can kill every single toad in a region, all you are doing is making room for more toads.

I actually have an optimistic view about the whole issue. Toads have done damage, there is no denying than but in regions where they have been a long time the native species have begun to adapt.

I can't see how you could say we sit back & let it all sort out
IT WON"T except in the favour of the toad.

i live in townsville, pretty much smack bang in the middle of the cane toad heart land and every year we have a day where everyone in the town is urged to collect as many toads as they can....it has quite a big following and gets good results. something like this done statewide would have a huge impact on their numbers, but unforunately you can't get them all in this manner and you only need two of them for the problem to continue. As frustrating, dangerous and destructive as they are it's not their fault some idiot brought them here to do a job they weren't capable of doing. They've been here with us so long now i think we just take them as a part of life in queensland.

I have heard of this cane toad muster & was told a story of a father & son team that after the first day turned up with a truck load of toads, but I dismissed this as a good story.

 

[junglelover01]

I can't see how you could say we sit back & let it all sort out
IT WON"T except in the favour of the toad.



I have heard of this cane toad muster & was told a story of a father & son team that after the first day turned up with a truck load of toads, but I dismissed this as a good story.

i dunno about a truckload but there are a hell of a lot that get brought in....they have prizes for the biggest toad etc.....you get some monsters!